Rotary target.



No. 884,663. I PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

F. J. JOHNSTUN.

ROTARY TARGET. APPLICATION FILED ocT. a. 1907.

V rye Nomvls Fsrsns co., wasHlNqTaN, c.

FRANK J. JOHNSTON, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

ROTARY TARGET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed October 2, 1907. lSerial No. 395,560.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK J'. JOHNSTON, citizen of the United States,residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Targets,of whichthe followin(r is a specification.

My invention relates to targets, and especially to targets for use inshooting-galleries and other places of amusement.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and unique form ofentertainment in the nature of a revolving target wherein theskilfuloperator, by hitting the bulls eye, will set a pointer or targetin motion 5 and on the pointer coming to rest, it will indicate acertain prize that he is entitled to.

The invention consists of the parts and lthe construction andcombinationr of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed,having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is afront elevation of the target. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section.Fig. 3 is a detail view of the target rotating mechanism.

A represents a disk, preferably of sheetmetal, and bearing suitable rins, or other indications of a target. This dis r is mounted loose on ahollow shaft or spindle 2, the latter being'a propriately journaled torO- tate in suitab e bearings, as 3. Outside of the target A is anannular disk 4, shown as divided by radial lines into certain spaceswhich may be consecutively numbered, as here shown, and these spaces maybe variously colored, if desired 3 and each space will represent acertain prize, as, for example', so many cigars, in case the pointer 5which is carried by the target should come to rest over any particularspace.

The idea of the invention is that the marks-Y man, endeavoring to hitthe center of the target, will, in the event of the bullet passingthrough the tube 2, strike against some obstruction or triggerarrangement which will momentarily set the target in motion and cause ittospin until the target and ointer will come to rest, and the pointer 5wi stand over some one of the several spaces on the annulus 4. Thepointer carries aspring or brake member 6 which is adapted to engagelightly with successive pins 7 y on the annulus and properly retard therotative movement of the target and iinally bring it to rest with thepointer squarely over some one of the spaces on the annulus.

Any appropriate mechanism may be mployed to rod-ucc the periodicalrotation or spinning o the target. As here shown, the tubular shaft 2carries two loose pulleys or drums 8 8 which are preferably fastenedtogether so as to turn in unison. 9 is a ratchet member fastened to thetube 2, and the drums are normally locked to the ratchet by means of theawl 10 on one of the drums.

Arranged in t 1e path of the bullet at the inner end of the tube 2 isone end of a bellcrank lever 11. The opposite end of the trigger orbell-crank 11 is adapted to engage, as here shown, with the teeth of agear 12; which gear meshes a corresponding gear 13 on the side of theratchet 9. weight 14 is attached to a rope or cord 15 which is wound upon the drum 8. When the bell-crank or trigger 11 is engaged with thegear 12, the latter canno't turn, and being in mesh with the gear of theratchet, and the drums being locked to the ratchet by the pawl 10, theapparatus is held stationary. Assuming the cord 15 to be wound up on itsdrum, if the trigger 11 is tripped so as to di'sengage it from the gear12, thereby throwing the trigger into dotted vline position, Fig. 2, thecounterweight will act to set the drum and the shaft 2 1n motion. y

In order to transmit rotative motion from the spindle to the targetA'any appropriate form of connection may be employed, as, for example,the pawl 16 on the hub of the target engaging with ratchet 17 which isfixed on the shaft it being understood that the pawl and ratchetarrangement 16-17 is such that the falling weight causes the parts tointerlock.. But the moment the shaft 2 comes to a standstill the targetwill continue to spin with the pawl 16 riding free over the ratchet 17.The spinning movement of the target continues until the spring brake 6acting on the pin 7 brings the target to rest with the pointer 5 restingover one or other of the divisions onthe annulus 4. The trigger 11 ismaintained in normal engagement with th star-wheel or pinion 12 bygravity ,or

otherwise. Any appropriate means may be employed to wind up the cord 15and raise the weightY ready for the next operation. As here shown, acord 18 is wound up on the drum 8 lin a reverse direction to the cord15, and this oord extends forward to any suitable point withinconvenient reach of the orerator. so that after the weight has fallen, ypuliing A counterv on the cord 18 the weight will be lifted, with thepawl 10 riding free in its backward move'- ment over the ratchet 9.Whenever the tension of the cord 18 is slacked, the pawl l0 engages theratchet .9 and holds the Weight.

It is possible that the invention may be prracticed in various formswithout departing om the principle thereof, and l do not wish to beunderstood as limitin myself to any specific mechanism, or specia modeor means of spinning the target.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- 1. The combination with a fixed sub-divided disk, arotary target and a hollow spindle upon-which the same is looselymounted, of a drum loose on said s indle, a ratchet member iixed to thespind e, and provided With a gear on its side, a 4gear journaled atright angles-to the axis of the first-named gear, and the bell-cranklever having one arm to engage the teeth of the second named gear andhaving another arm normally disposed proximate to the inner end of said.spindle and in the range of action of a projectile passing through saidspindle whereby the lever is actuated to release the secondnamed gearfrom its locked position, means for rotating the drum, means forcommunieating thel rotation oi' said ,drum tol the first-named gear,yand means connecting the target with the hollow spindle, said lastnamedmeans allowing the target to rotate relative to said ixed disk.

2. The combination with a rotary target, a hollow spindle upon which thesame is loosely mounted, and a fixed disk, said disk and target having amovement one relative to the other, of mechanism for spinning thetarget, said mechanism being actuated by a projectile passing throughthe spindle, and

comprising a bell-crank lever having one arm. arranged close to theinner end of said spindle and in the path of said projectile, acounterweighted member loose on the spindie, a member fixed to saidspindle and interengaging connections between said fixed member andloose member, a gear wheel mounted on a vertical axis and a gear memberon said 'fixed member and in mesh with said gear wheel, said bell-cranklever having a second arm which is designed to engage said gear wheel tohold the members locked, and to release said wheel when the lever istripped by the impact of the projectile, and engageable connectionsbetween the target and the hollow spindle.

3. The combination with a rotary target,l a hollow spindle on which thesame is loosely mounted, and a ixed disk past which the target isadapted to rotate, of means for spinning the target operated by a bulletpassing through said spindle, said means including a bell-crank leverpivotally mounted near the inner end of the spindle and having one armnormally disposed in the range of action of the'bullet, a gear wheelnormally engaged with the other arm of said lever, a ratchet memberiixed to the spindle and having a gear with which said gear wheel is inmesh, a drum loosely mounted on the spindle and a pawl carried by said'drum and adaptedto engage said ratchet member, a pawl on thc hub of thetarget, a ratchet fixed to said spindle and engaged by said pawl, andmeans for retarding the rotation of the target.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. JOHNSTON, Witnesses:

PETER F. RUMAN, OTTO F. HEILBRoN.

